Choosing a location for family photography can be a confusing task.
Head to Pinterest, and you’ll find so many ideas scattered here and there that it makes your head spin!
Worry not!
We’ve got you covered.
We’ve compiled the best family photography location ideas.
Our definition of best is –
- Creative
- Easy to follow and execute
- Making your photographs turn out beautiful!
Family Photography Location Ideas
Here are a few ideas to get you started for your next family pictures
Beaches
A beach location will bring out fun summertime vibes in your photos. Beaches can be magical places during the golden hour of sunrise and sunset.
“Golden hour” is the time shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sky is redder and softer than when the sun is up. At this time of day, photos are less likely to come out overexposed. And so, photographers consider it the most desirable time of day for nature. One more upside is that you might get the beach to yourself.
Make a day out of the photography shoot by engaging the family members in fun activities. For example- Build Sandcastles, tepees, or a giant hole in the ground(Joey).
Tip: Consider purchasing a quality air blower and some lens clothes for your camera bag. These tools help you keep sand and dust off your equipment.
If you clean your camera lens regularly, you’ll have to edit out fewer water droplets and sand specks than before.
Forest (Gump)
The big Oak trees, long branches, and creepers make for beautiful backgrounds. And it’s a great way to get the kids interested in the environment. Crops of potting and de-potting are very aesthetically pleasing.
It’s important to explore the area of a forest as well, beforehand. Don’t just stick to the pathways. Try and find areas that other photographers would perhaps overlook.
Every part of a forest will be unique in its patterns & looks. Look for arrangements of foliage and trees that can lend a beautiful look to your photos.
Tip: Carry a macro lens.
Forests are an ecosystem of fascinating flora, fauna, textures, and colors that you may miss if you’re focused only on the big picture. Also, carry a small portable reflector as light conditions will be gloomy at such a small vantage point. Carry an off-flash camera as well.
Parks and Recreation
Swings and benches can be used in the photos. Roll out a picnic mat and take a lot of candid shots, which might be difficult in forests.
Tip: Link the camera to a laptop so you can check clarity and details while you are still on site.
Make sure to zoom in and check each photo before moving equipment to a new angle or area.
Lakes and Rivers
Besides the water view, pictures of the lakes are also beautiful, and family members can make a day of it. Activities like fishing, canoeing, and swimming will have a family blast, making the photos turn out to be very pretty!
With the emergence of drones, getting a bird’s eye view is no longer just a fantasy. Armed with a drone and a camera, take to the skies and see the lakes from a new perspective.
Urban City-Scapes
Capture memories in the bustling streets.
Urban scapes get a lousy reputation for unscientific planning, heat island effect, etc. but do they make for unique backgrounds! The hallowed walls, the beautiful architecture, and inspiring graffiti will pose a huge challenge to the studio sessions.
Tip: To add motion blur to your photographs, for example, if you want to capture a bike messenger speeding around a street corner—use a long exposure.
To do this, set your camera to shutter priority mode and choose a slow shutter speed. The slower your shutter speed, the more motion blur will appear.
Cap(ture) N Cook
Jesse’s cooking with extra chili has nothing on a whole family busting it out in the kitchen! Even the royal family photographer thinks it makes for a great idea.
Tip: Avoid shooting towards a bright window or you risk the window being overexposed and it might appear as a big white box and the interior pitch black.
Make sure to turn on all the lights in the room including the under-counter lighting, and if possible, shoot on a sunny day without flash to avoid ugly reflections off appliances and cabinets.
Try to get a snapshot of the space beforehand so you can determine if you need to bring some color into the room, for example- a bowl of fruit, flowers, veggies, etc.
It’s always Christmassy
Use fairy lights entangled in a bottle running through the Christmas tree, and you’ll get some great shots this way!
Tip: Incorporate Photo Booths in your setup. There are numerous simple, inexpensive Photo Booth Software that you can try out for free. For large holiday parties, these are a great addition to the festivities.
Try out the Bokeh effect as well. Bokeh comes from the Japanese word “boke”, meaning “blur”. It is the soft, defocused background highlights you get when shooting your subject with the lens at its widest aperture. Candlelight, fairy lights, car headlights, and festive street lights all make for great bokeh backgrounds.
Everyone(place) is unique!
Scourge out for highly sought-after landmarks in your area. Turn them into the perfect location for your family photography sessions. E.g., If you’re based in New York, go to the famous bridge, Central Park, you get the idea!
Sometimes the details on a landmark can turn out as beautiful just as much as the whole. For instance, you might be inside an old church, and you may notice distinct curves in the ceiling. You can use close-ups of your landmark shots to produce more exciting looks.
Carnivals of family/Nearest Disneyland
Roller coasters, fairies, princesses, mickey mouse ears – the place is truly magical. Let the family have a blast, and you’ll get great pictures this way. Make sure to capture the interactions between a child and the Disney Character before taking the posed photo. That is where you will find the most genuine smiles and reactions.
Disneyland has some amazing food items that are unique to the place, like Mickey-shaped beignets and pretzels. They also have some fantastic decorating on cupcakes and cookies. These little details must be incorporated into your photos with the family.
Way to make your customers feel special –
‘A happy client(wife) is a happy life!’
Favorite coffee shop –
Head to your clients’ famous coffee shop/diner. They have memories attached to this place, making the photographs meaningful and beautiful.
Dig a little deeper and ask them about the mall they crash at after a bad day. Their go-to place for satisfying hunger pangs is a sushi diner or a food truck nearby. The place they fell in love with! Even something as mundane as the sidewalk can make for memorable photos. The best thing is right under your nose – Truly!
Alma Mater
You can ask permission to shoot your sessions in your customer’s school/college/university. Dress the kids in the college’s dress. This will make for a great revisiting of memories and add emotions to your photos.
Xmas of Pride
Dig out a Douglas Fir, ask the family members to search for their collective trophies, mementos, and adorn the Christmas tree with it. Name the tree – Pride of Surname. This will make your clients feel over the moon!
That’s it, folks!
Now you’re equipped with family photography poses, compositions, and locations to shoot your next family photography session.
Stay tuned for more ideas to ace your family photography sessions right here at FilterPixel.
